Hook connector device



K. c. JENNE HOOK CONNECTOR DEVICE Feb. 24, 1959' 2,874,439

Filed A ril 29, 1954 INVENTOR KENNETH B. TENNE a ATTORNEY- Feb. 24, 1959 K, c JENNE 2,874,

HOOK, CONNECTOR DEVICE Filed April 29. 1954 a- W Fluglfl.

2 Sheets-Shleer. 2

5a a I INVENTOR KENNETH B. LJI-LNNF.

ATTDRNEZ United States Patent able Iron Fittings Company, Branford, Cum, a cori poration of Connecticut Application April 29, 1954, Serial No. 426,515

2 Claims. (Cl. 24 -279) The present invention relates to a hook connector device, particularly for use in the assembly of timber structures formed of round wood poles. Examples of such structures are transmission line supports of the H- frame type, consisting of two spaced apart vertical wood poles and a horizontal cross arm; X braces wherein bracing poles are at inclined angles to vertical or horizontal poles; the splice type where a vertical pol-e top extension is secured in overlapped parallel relation to a vertical pole; and the stubbing type where a vertical pole is secured in overlapped parallel relation to a vertical pile.

Heretofore the connection means employed consisted either of means such as through bolts penetrating the poles to be connected together, or of means such as straps or cables extending about the poles. The present invention is especially intended for use with the latter type of connection, although it is capable of use with other types.

A further object is to provide a connector adapted to engage around pole surface in a normal position thereto, while permitting both the cable and the bolt to extend therefrom at any desired angles within limits.

' A further object is to provide a hook connector which is adapted to move about the surface of a round'pole as the bolt or bolts are tightened, and to maintain its position normal to the pole during such movement.

()ther objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a hook connector according to th'e ill'ustratedexemplary embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view;

Fig. 3 is a rear view;

Fig. 4 is a side view;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view'taken along the line 5'- -5 'of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 5, showing a bolt connected thereto in one limit position of angular adjustment, and further showing in dot-and-dash lines the bolt in another limit position of angular adjustment; Fig. '7 is a side elevation showing two vertical poles connected in parallel overlapped relation, the hook connectors of the invention being employed as part of the connecting means;

Fig. 8 is' a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 88 of Fig. 7;

r Fig. 9 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 8, showing another arrangement of the connecting means;

7 Fig. 10 is a side elevation showing the vertical pole 2,874,439 Patented Feb. 24, 1959' and a horizontal cross arm connected thereto, the hook connectors of the invention being used as part of the connectionmeans;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the connecting means as employed in the structures shown in Fig. 10, the poles being removed;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 11 showing another arrangement of the connectingmeans;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 11 showing still another arrangement of the connecting means;

Fig. 14 is a front elevation showing a vertical pole and a pole top of the splice type;

Fig. 15 is a front elevation showing a pile and a vertical pole of the stubbing type; and

Fig. 16 is a front elevation of an H-frame showing vertical poles, a cross arm, an X braces.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1-6 thereof, the hook connector according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention is preferably constructed of malleable cast iron and comprises a skid shoe base portion 10 of rectangular form, substantially flat at the major portion of its under surface, the under-surface being inclined upwardly at its forward end portion as at 11 and rounded at its..rearward end portion as at 12, so that while a substantial area of the under surface is adapted to engage with the round surface of a wood pole in slightly embedded relation through the compressive force appliedthereon, such under surface is adapted to skid upon the wood surface in either forward or rearward direction through forward or rearward pull exterted thereon.

Upon the upper side of the base portion 10 there is integrally formed a box-like body portion 13 having slightly upwardly divergent sidewalls 14-14 connected with a substantially semi-cylindrical upper Wall 15. Also the side walls preferably slightly converge rearwardly so as to facilitate the casting of the connector. The front wall of the body portion is rearwardly spaced a substantial distance from the forward end of the base portion 10, its lower portion 16 being inclined forwardly and upwardly and its upper portion ,17 being inclined upwardly and rearwardly, and the junction between the lower portion 16 and the upper portion 17 providing a transverse ridge 18 across the forward wall of the body portion which is adapted to function as a fulcrum support for a nut on the tightening bolt, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The upper forward wall portion 17 is further provided with a substantially rectangular recess 19 defined at its lower edge by the fulcrum ridge 18, its base wall being inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the ridge 18 to a substantially greater extent than the inclination of the wall portion 17, and adapted to form a limit seat for the nut upon the bolt in one position of angular adjustment of the bolt, as will presently more fully appear, the lower forward wall portion 16 at the lower side of the ridge 18 providing a limit seat in another position of angular adjustment.

A substantially circular bolt receiving hole 20 is provided in the forward wall, substantially half of this hole being below the ridge 18 and substantially half above the ridge and this hole constitutes the forward end of a rearwardly divergent passage 21 extending through the body portion 13. The upper concavely curved wall 22 of this passage is inclined upwardly and rearwardly at a slight angle with its longitudinal axis substantially at a right angle to the plane of the lower front wall portion 16, so that when the bolt 23 is at an upwardly inclined angle, as shown by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 6, with its nut 24 seating upon the forward wall surface 16 the bolt is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of theupper' wall; The lower wall 25 of the passage 21 extends from the' hole 20' in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined direction substantially at a right angle to the plane of the base of the recess 19, and centrally of the base portion between theside walls 1'4 --14 of the body portion there is provided a clearance recess 26 adapted to receive the bolt in a position of angular adjustment when the nut 24 seats upon the base of the recess 19, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 6. In moving between the limit positions of angular adjustment the nut 24 fulcrums upon the ridge 18 so that, in effect, the connector provides a pivotal support for the bolt wherein pivotal movement takes place about the fulcrum provided by the ridge 18.

Forwardly of the upper semi-cylindrical wall of the body portion 13 there is provided. an upwardly extending rib-like formation constituting the intermediate part of a cable retaining horn portion 27. which hasits end parts curved downwardly at each side of the body portion 13 to provide cable retaining hooks 28, the concave inner surfaces 29 of these hooks at the forward wall having. their radius centers substantially in lateral line with theridge 1'8 and being curved upwardly and rearwardly from the forward wall into continuous blended relation with the rearward wall 30 of the intermediate portion of the horn portion which is concavely curved into continuously blended relation with the upper Wall. 15 of the body portion.13. The horn portion is such that a loop of a cable will seat snugly in the curved seating surface 30 and will be carried forward in downwardly curved relation within the hook portions at each side, being then adapted to be carried off from the forward sides of the hook portions at any desired angle.

It will be noted that the hooks 28 extend downwardly sufiiciently so that there is no chance of the loop of, the cable becoming disengaged. Also, it will be noted that as the cable is carried from the forward sides of the hook portions, the axial center of the cable is. substantially in lateral line with the fulcrum ridge 18 upon which the nut 24 of the bolt 23 swings, and when the cable is angled upwardly the bend of the cable takes place substantially in lateral line with the fulcrum ridge 18. Thus, when there is a pull in one direction upon the connector by the bolt and a pull in the other direction by the cable, the points at which these pulls are applied to the connector substantially coincide, with the result that the forces are substantially neutralized insofar as turning of the connector is concerned. The latter will therefore.

seat upon the surface upon which is it supported, as for instance the round surface of the wood pole, without any appreciable tendency of either the pull upon the bolt or upon the cable to upset it. At the same time a gerater pull upon one or the other will cause the connector to move freely in the direction of such pull, i. e., to move with a skid movement upon the surface upon which it is supported, and this action will take place in any relative angular position of either the bolt or the cable.

In Figs 7 and 8 there is shown a connection arrangement for a structure wherein two poles 31 and 32 are arranged in overlapping parallel relation to each other, this being either the splice type of connection as shown in Fig. 14, wherein the pole top extension is connected to a vertical pole set in the ground, or the stubbing type of connection as shown in Fig. 15, wherein a vertical pole is connected to a pile set in the ground. The connection consists of two similar loop or band. connections arranged in vertically spaced relation about the overlapped parts of the poles, and there is preferably interposed between the poles at points substantially in alignment with the loop connections a pair of doublefaced gain members 33-33 which preferably have concavely formed faces to substantially conform to the pole surfaces and are provided with spur teeth which.

4. dig into the wood. These gains serve to maintain the poles in vertical alignment as well asto resist relative vertical shifting movement of one pole relatively to the other, the tightening of the loop connnections causing the spur teeth upon the faces of the gains to imbed into the Wood of each pole.

Each loop or band connection consists of pairs of book connectors indicated generally as 34, engaged with the opposite sides of the two poles, the connectors of one pair having the loop ends of acable; loop 35 engaged about their horn portions. with. the: cable loop extending about the outer side of the pole, and the connectors of the other pair having the loop ends of a cable loop 36 engaged with their horn portions with the cable loop engaged about the outer sideof the; other pole. Tightening bolts 23 are provided at each side and extend between the hook connectors provide-d upon the poles at each side, these bolts having both ends threaded and provided with tightening nuts 24 on such threadediends. The loop connection is tightened by tightening the nuts. 24 which draws the cable loops tightly and at the same time draws the poles together, the hook connectors finding their positions upon the poles by a skid movementv thereon as the bolts are tightened;

It will be observed that the hook connectors each. occupy a normal position to the round surface of the pole, and that the tightening bolts, as well as, the loop.

ends of the cable loops change their angular, position.

with respect to the hook connectors as the connection is. tightened. The latitude of angular movement. afforded by the hook connector is such that it may move to a. very substantial extent about the circumference of thev pole before contact of the tightening bolt therewith, so that the loop connection may be assembled in a relatively loose state and thereupon tightened to a substantial. degree, and in both the loose state and the tightened state the hook connectors will be in a normal position to the round surfaces of the poles. As the pulling points of both the bolt and the cable loop. substantially coincide, the tendency to overturn the hook connector is minimized. This condition will also prevail when there is a substantial difference in the diameters of the poles, and. also over a relatively large range of pole. diameters. In the event that the loop is misplaced on the pole, and the. take-up distance is so great thatthe hook connecor moves off of the pole surface, the hook connector will not capsize, but its pull line will remain in line with the pull of the bolt. This results from the arrangement of the. hooks 28 which are so located that they hold the center line of the cable in line with the center line of the bolt.

It is pointed out that the cable loops may be formed in any suitable manner, the illustration showing a length of cable having its ends secured together to form a loop. by a sleeve 37 which is applied by hydraulic Pressure. This provides a loop having a fixed length. Where; it is desired to provide an adjustable loop, suitable removable cable connectors may be employed.

In Fig. 9 there is shown a modified arrangement in which the loop connection consists of a single pair of hook connectors 34 and, a tightening bolt 23, engaged upon the outer side of one of the poles and connected by a single cable loop 38 extending about the outer side of the other pole and having its loop ends connected to. the hook connectors. I

In Fig. 10 there is shown a connection of a round. cross arm pole 39 to a vertical pole 40, this being the arrangement employed in the H-frarne structure as shown in Fig. 16. In this arrangement, a cross arm sup? porting gain member 41 is preferably interposed betweenthe two poles, which provides a wedge action against vertical movement and overturning. A gain of this: type is disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 2,662,714 granted December 12, 1953. The loop connection is carried. about the outer side of the vertical pole at vertically spaced points and extends forwardly about the forward side of the cross arm at laterally spaced points. At at least one point of the loop connection there is provided a tightening connection means consisting of a pair of hook connectors 34 and a tightening bolt 23, one hook connector being seated upon the vertical pole and the other hook connector being seated upon the cross arm pole, the connectors being turned substantially 90 to each other.

As shown in Fig. 11, the loop connection consists of two hook connector and bolt assemblies, one at each side, a short cable loop 42 extended about the outer side of the vertical pole and connected to the rearward hook connectors 34 engaged with the sides of the vertical pole, and a long cable loop 43 having its loop ends engaged'with the forward hook connectors engaged with the lower side of the cross arm pole, this long loop being carried at its intermediate portion about the outer side of the vertical pole and being carried forwardly at each side over and about the forward side of the cross arm pole and having its loop ends connected to the forward hook connectors.

In Fig. 12, a loop connection is illustrated wherein four connector assemblies are provided, each consisting of a pair of hook connectors 34 and a bolt 23, two as semblies being arranged at the lower side of the cross arm and two at the upper side, and the hook connectors being connected by four cable loops 44, two being extended about the outer side of the vertical pole with their loop ends engaged with the rearward hook connectors, andv two being engaged about the forward side of the cross arm pole with their loop ends connected to the forward hook connectors.

In Fig. 13 there is shown another loop connection whereing a single connector assembly, consisting of a pair of hook connectors 34 and a tightening bolt 23, is employed in connection with a single long cable loop 45, the loop ends of the cable being engaged with the respective hook connectors, which are respectively engaged with the vertical pole and the cross arm pole, and the cable loop being carried about the vertical pole and the cross arm pole in similar arrangement to the loop connections shown in Figs. 11' and 12'.

In Fig. 16 the X frame poles 46 are shown connected to the vertical pole 40 of the H frame by connector assemblies similar to those employed in connecting the cross arm 39.

While the bolt means has been illustrated as a bolt threaded at each end and provided with a nut at each end, it will be understood that the invention also contemplates a bolt provided with a head at one endv and a threaded nut at the other end.

What is claimed is:

1. For use in the assembly of timber structures formed of round wood poles wherein a cable loop and a nut or head carrying bolt comprise part of a pole encircling connection, a one-piece hook connector for said cable loop and bolt comprising a skid shoe base portion having a pole-engaging underside, a box-like body portion integral with the upper side of said base portion having a front wall and side walls extending outwardly from said base portion and a top wall opposed to said base portion, its rearward side being open, said front wall having a bolt-receiving hole outwardly spaced from said base portion for pivotally receiving a bolt, and the forward side of said front wall constituting a fulcrum bearing surface for a nut or head carried by a bolt received in said hole, and said side and top walls defining with the upper side of said base portion a rearwardly divergent bolt-receiving passage extending from said hole to said rearward open side, whereby a bolt received in said hole and passage and extending rearwardly through said open side may have angular movement relatively to said base portion, and cable loop connecting means carried by said body portion including a pair of hook portions, one at each side in outwardly spaced relation to said base portion and in substantially lateral line with said boltreceiving hole, whereby a cable loop engaged with said hook portions and extended forwardly from said front wall may have angular movement relatively to said base portion about a bending axis substantially coinciding with the fulcrum axis of said bolt.

2. The hook connector according to claim 1, further characterized by said fulcrum bearing surface of said front wall having a fulcrum bearing ridge disposed at each side of said bolt-receiving hole in lateral line with the axial center thereof, and upper and lower planular surfaces extending upwardly and downwardly from said ridge, said upper planular surface being in a rearwardly inclined plane to said lower planular surface, and said upper and lower planular surfaces being respectively normal to the axis of a bolt received in said hole in the respective limits of its angular movement toward and away from said base portion.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

